To date, a technique in which a position on a screen is designated by using an input device, and the input device is vibrated when a predetermined place is designated, has been known.
However, in the above-described conventional technique, occurrence or non-occurrence of vibration is merely controlled according to the designated position, and vibration feedback has not been sufficiently realistically performed.
Therefore, an object of the exemplary embodiment is to provide an information processing system capable of allowing a user to more realistically perceive vibration.
In order to attain the aforementioned object, the exemplary embodiment has the following configuration.
One aspect of the exemplary embodiment is an information processing system that includes an operation section, a vibration section, an information processing section, a sound generation section, and an output section. The vibration section is configured to vibrate according to an input signal representing a vibration waveform. The information processing section is configured to perform information processing based on an input from the operation section. The sound generation section is configured to generate a sound signal. The waveform generation section is configured to generate a signal representing a first vibration waveform. The output section is configured to output the sound signal, and to output, to the vibration section, a signal representing a combined waveform obtained by the first vibration waveform and an audio vibration waveform based on a waveform of the sound signal being combined with each other, based on the information processing.
A “signal representing a vibration waveform” may be, for example, an amplitude and a frequency of a vibration waveform. Further, a “signal representing a vibration waveform” may be a vibration waveform itself, or may be a signal that designates vibration pattern data representing a vibration waveform.
Further, “the first vibration waveform and the audio vibration waveform are combined with each other” may mean that, for example, the total of amplitudes of two vibration waveforms is obtained, and that, for example, an average of frequencies of two vibration waveforms is obtained (the average may be a weighted average or unweighted average). Further, “the first vibration waveform and the audio vibration waveform are combined with each other” may mean that, for example, two vibration waveforms are superposed on each other according to the superposition principle of waves.
In the above-described configuration, a combined waveform obtained by the first vibration waveform and the audio vibration waveform based on a sound signal being combined with each other can be output as well as a sound is output, and a user is allowed to perceive sound and vibration corresponding to the sound, and to perform more realistic vibration experience.
Further, the output section may output, to the vibration section, the signal representing the combined waveform at a time when output of the sound signal is started.
In the above-described configuration, at a time when the sound is output, vibration based on the sound can be performed.
Further, the information processing section may determine whether or not a certain condition is satisfied in the information processing. When it is determined that the condition has been satisfied in the information processing, the waveform generation section may generate the first vibration waveform, the sound generation section may generate the sound signal, and the output section may output the sound signal and output the signal representing the combined waveform. Further, when it is determined that the condition is not satisfied in the information processing, the waveform generation section may generate a second vibration waveform that is equal to the first vibration waveform, and the output section may output a signal representing the second vibration waveform.
In the above-described configuration, the vibration can be made the same between before the condition is satisfied, and when the condition has been satisfied, and, when the condition has been satisfied, the combined waveform can be output together with the sound signal.
Further, the information processing section may determine whether or not a certain condition is satisfied in the information processing. When it is determined that the condition has been satisfied in the information processing, the waveform generation section may generate the first vibration waveform, the sound generation section may generate the sound signal, and the output section may output the sound signal and output the signal representing the combined waveform. Further, when it is determined that the condition is not satisfied in the information processing, the waveform generation section may generate a second vibration waveform that is different from the first vibration waveform, and the output section may output a signal representing the second vibration waveform.
In the above-described configuration, the vibration can be made different between before the condition is satisfied, and when the condition has been satisfied, and, when the condition has been satisfied, the combined waveform can be output together with the sound signal.
Further, the first vibration waveform may be a waveform obtained by changing a frequency and/or an amplitude of the second vibration waveform.
In the above-described configuration, vibration based on the second vibration waveform can be performed before the condition is satisfied, and vibration based on the first vibration waveform obtained by changing the second vibration waveform can be performed when the condition has been satisfied. For example, data representing the second vibration waveform is previously stored, and, when the condition has been satisfied, the first vibration waveform can be generated by using the same data, whereby an amount of data to be previously stored can be reduced.
Further, the operation section may include an inertial sensor, and input from the operation section may include data obtained from the inertial sensor. The information processing section may determine whether or not a first virtual object contacts with a second virtual object, in the information processing, based on the data obtained from the inertial sensor. The output section may output the sound signal and output, to the vibration section, the signal representing the combined waveform when it is determined that the first virtual object has contacted with the second virtual object.
In the above-described configuration, whether or not contact with the second virtual object occurs is determined based on the data from the inertial sensor, and, according to the result of the determination as to the contact, the sound signal can be output, and vibration based on the combined waveform can be performed.
Further, the number of the second virtual objects may be plural. The output section may output a signal representing a combined waveform obtained by the first vibration waveform and a plurality of the audio vibration waveforms being combined with each other, when it is determined that the first virtual object has contacted with a plurality of the second virtual objects.
In the above-described configuration, in a case where the first virtual object has contacted with a plurality of the second virtual objects, a plurality of the audio vibration waveforms can be combined with each other, and vibration can be made stronger.
Further, the waveform generation section may generate a signal representing the first vibration waveform by setting a frequency and an amplitude. The vibration section may vibrate at the frequency and the amplitude having been set.
In the above-described configuration, a frequency and an amplitude can be designated to vibrate the vibration section. For example, a frequency at which the vibration section easily vibrates, can be designated to vibrate the vibration section.
Further, the waveform generation section may set, as the frequency, a resonance frequency of the vibration section.
In the above-described configuration, the vibration section can be vibrated by designating a resonance frequency, and the vibration section can be easily vibrated more strongly.
Further, the output section may output a signal representing the second vibration waveform before it is determined that the condition is satisfied. The output section may reduce an amplitude of the second vibration waveform according to the condition being determined to be satisfied. The output section may output a signal representing the combined waveform after elapse of a certain time.
In the above-described configuration, vibration based on the second vibration waveform can be performed before the condition is satisfied, and vibration based on the combined waveform can be performed after the vibration based on the second vibration waveform is inhibited in a case where the condition has been satisfied. For example, vibration of the vibration section can be reduced or halted according to the condition being satisfied, and a user is allowed to more easily perceive vibration based on the combined waveform which is generated when the condition has been satisfied.
Another aspect is an information processing system that includes an operation section, a vibration section, an information processing section, a waveform generation section, and an output section. The vibration section is configured to vibrate according to an input signal representing a vibration waveform. The information processing section is configured to perform information processing based on an input from the operation section. The waveform generation section is configured to generate a signal representing a first vibration waveform for which a predetermined frequency is set. The output section is configured to output, to the vibration section, a signal representing a combined waveform obtained by the first vibration waveform and an audio vibration waveform based on a waveform of a sound signal being combined with each other, based on the information processing.
In the above-described configuration, the vibration section can be vibrated based on a combined waveform obtained by combining the first vibration waveform for which a predetermined frequency is set, with an audio vibration waveform based on a sound signal. For example, the vibration section can be vibrated by designating a frequency at which the vibration section easily vibrates.
Further, the predetermined frequency may be a resonance frequency of the vibration section.
In the above-described configuration, a resonance frequency can be designated to vibrate the vibration section. Thus, the vibration section can be more strongly vibrated.
Another aspect is an information processing system that includes an operation section, a vibration section, a determination section, a first waveform generation section, a second waveform generation section, and an output section. The vibration section is configured to vibrate according to an input signal representing a vibration waveform. The determination section is configured to determine whether or not a certain condition is satisfied, based on an input from the operation section. The first waveform generation section is configured to generate a signal representing a first vibration waveform. The second waveform generation section is configured to generate a signal representing a second vibration waveform. The output section is configured to output, to the vibration section, a signal representing the second vibration waveform before the condition is satisfied, reduce an amplitude of the second vibration waveform according to the condition being determined to be satisfied, and output, to the vibration section, a signal representing the first vibration waveform after elapse of a certain time.
In the above-described configuration, vibration based on the second vibration waveform can be performed before the condition is satisfied, and vibration based on the first vibration waveform can be performed after the vibration based on the second vibration waveform is inhibited in a case where the condition has been satisfied. For example, vibration of the vibration section can be reduced or halted according to the condition being satisfied, and a user is allowed to more easily perceive vibration based on the first vibration waveform which is generated when the condition has been satisfied.
Further, an amplitude of the first vibration waveform may be greater than an amplitude of the second vibration waveform.
In the above-described configuration, vibration based on the second vibration waveform can be inhibited according to the condition being satisfied, and a strong vibration based on the first vibration waveform can be performed after elapse of a certain time.
Further, another aspect may be an information processing program executed by a computer of an information processing apparatus that vibrates a vibration section which vibrates according to an input signal representing a vibration waveform. The information processing program causes the computer to execute: an information processing step of performing information processing based on an input from an operation section; a sound generation step of generating a sound signal; a waveform generation step of generating a signal representing a first vibration waveform; and an output step of outputting the sound signal, and outputting, to the vibration section, a signal representing a combined waveform obtained by the first vibration waveform and an audio vibration waveform based on a waveform of the sound signal being combined with each other, based on the information processing.
Further, another aspect may be an information processing apparatus that executes the information processing program. Moreover, another aspect may be an information processing method performed by the information processing apparatus or the information processing system.
According to the exemplary embodiment, a user is allowed to perform more realistic vibration experience.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the exemplary embodiments will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.